Unveiled: The Chronicles of Luxor Everstone

by Jacklyn Daher

  "Okay, here goes," Luxor said. The others stopped their bickering. "Castor you go first, Hunter second, Melita third, Theo fourth and I'm last," Luxor said.

  It was easiest putting the others in the group in alphabetical order, for a fact she knew she was the fastest. She was on the track team at Marsol Grammar and had qualified for nationals before the accident ruined her plans. And her life.

  "Sounds good, except logically you should go second, being that’s where your name fits in the alphabet,” Hunter pointed out.

  Luxor opened her mouth to disagree. H for Hunter was clearly before L. If they were going by the alphabet like she had chosen for the others, then technically she should be third.

  Unless he knew. No, that’s ridiculous. Eliie was dead.

  Hunter slapped his head, and smirked. "Sorry I meant third, had a mind blank for a sec."

  Luxor clenched her fists, and gritted her teeth. It was going to be one of those days where Hunter was being his typical asshole self. "I'm going last, I'm fastest, and that's it."

  "You're wrong about being fast and quick," Hunter said. "I can out run you any day. Any time."

  "No, I'm not. Except if we're talking about your bedroom performance." She shrugged her shoulders and left them to battle out the running positions.

  Hunter's eyes widened for a micro second before he stalked off without another word. Luxor cringed. What the hell of a comeback was that? She thought. She just insinuated something that should never, ever, have entered her mind.

  Damn Evie and her constant sexual talk.

  Hunter lifted his black fitted singlet and wiped the sweat of his face with the bottom. Underneath, those perfectly taut abs were on display and the deep V which crept downwards on his low-slung jeans. He pushed back his broad shoulders and stretched, the singlet continuing to creep upwards. One of his arms were nearly covered in an array of designs, with a small cursive tattoo, while the other had a quote. From where she stood, she couldn’t tell what it was of, but there was a strong urge to know.

  Hot damn!

  Luxor averted her eyes in a different direction as her cheeks blazed, chiding herself for her thoughts which refused to align with her body.

  Coach Davis blew the whistle for teams to assemble and Luxor dashed to grab a metallic, coloured rod which had been lined on the track up in a row, and all that remained was a green one. Luxor juggled the scorching baton a couple of times before tossing it over to Hunter, who caught it single-handedly, and walked away to his position.

  Hunter pumped himself up and jumped up and down on the spot, his focus locked straight ahead and the passion to win strong.

  “On your marks,” Coach Davis bellowed. The formation of the first runners was idle, and silence descended over the field. “Get set.”

  Jake jumped up and down on the spot and grunted. He embodied a typical football and track star, in his red shorts and singlet, his muscles were tight, and bulged.

  Hunter sent a cheeky grin Luxor's way followed by a wink before putting his game face on. “Go!”

  The horn sounded.

  Jake bolted first out down the lane, the tendons in his calves taut. Hunter jogged behind, his strides effortless as he passed him. Sweat poured down Jake’s temples as he gained power until he was a stroke away.

  Luxor cupped her hands over her mouth, her competitive streak coming out. “Faster Hunter!"

  Hunter passed the baton to Melita who switched into game mode, determination entering her eyes. Her long tanned legs, stretched out in a graceful gazelle style, her silken canary yellow shorts hiking up. Up against her was Evie, and she channelled all her spite, within a few strides she left Evie to lag behind.

  Castor was up next. Coming into the straight he bolted past Josh, a teammate of Jake's and grabbed the baton before Theo. It was no competition as Theo left Ayla to straggle behind, her short strides widening the gap. Wiggling her fingers Luxor anticipated the swap, a win was a sure-thing and she needed a sense of accomplishment at the moment. Just as her fingers grazed the underside of the baton, Theo released his grip and it tumbled to the gravel with a thunk.

  No, no, I can’t lose.

  Luxor leant down and scooped it up and re-focused on the task. Scarlett, was now a clear body length in front of her and the egotism oozed like gooey caramel. She was too far ahead and Luxor couldn’t catch her. Digging in deep she absorbed the pain she endured during her training sessions and pushed herself until she was level.

  Scarlett inched her head around. “Freak," she mouthed with a smirk.

  Red rage flashed again through Luxor as her blue eyes enlarged. Gritting her teeth, she propelled forward, her veins scorched and pulsated under her skin with an unbridled hate. Pumping her legs with all her power, she swung her arms back and forth and inhaled deeply, and exhaled even stronger. The will to exceed was strong, and the passion to win stronger, more than they’d ever been. Her fluid motions continued, and she found it was as easy as breathing. Even though she hadn't trained in a long time, her body moved to the rhythm and she ran fast, if not faster than she had ever before.

  Losing wasn’t in Luxor’s vocabulary, but if she did, it wouldn’t be because she didn’t give it her all. The end was near and she sped by. Scarlett's eyes widened, her face red and blotchy, and even though she gritted her teeth her breathing was laboured and on the verge on stopping.

  A few steps more and Luxor would have it won. At the finishing line, Hunter, Castor, and Theo, cheered her on, as they screamed her name. Even Melita smiled and clapped. Although Evie and Ayla were on the opposing team, they cheered her on, with Evie bouncing up and down like a jackrabbit. She smiled, the satisfaction swept over her, and she had an overwhelming sense of completion.

  Before she could step over the finish line, Luxor's knee buckled as a razor sharp pain struck and she tripped and skid across the gravel. She howled a vicious primal sound, her chest heaving as it expelled in short, sharp, spurts. As she lay splattered on her back, Scarlett's smug smile came into view, her perfectly painted talons picking up the yellow baton from near Luxor’s knee, and ran across the line.

  Hunter reached her first, her arm outstretched and reaching for him to hold and help her up. She clasped his hand and squeezed tight, almost cutting off his circulation. But the pain was too much to bear and she didn’t attempt to get up.

  Coach Davis pushed everybody out of the way and separated the crowds. "Move now!" he boomed. He leaned down, his shadow covered Luxor's body and blocked out the sun. His face scrunched up, and his dark yellow green eyes softened.

  "My knee. My knee!" Luxor clutched her leg at the knee. It was at an odd angle and had popped out of its socket. Red gashes marred her elbows and thighs, the skin opening up a fraction. She attempted to raise it, but her leg flopped.

  Momentarily she closed her eyes, her energy dripped out and started to deplete, words becoming a struggle to speak.

  "You take her to the infirmary!" Coach Davis barked out and pointed.

  Hunter nodded. Releasing his hand from hers she felt herself being picked up, hands cradled her back and underneath her shoulder blades, before being secured under her bottom.

  Her legs dangled like pieces of string. Theo passed Luxor a bottle of blue Gatorade. She was parched, and she needed something to cool her down. As he passed it on to Luxor his hand slipped. Sticky, blue, liquid splattered over her top and covered her injured thigh, and all over the ground beneath her.

  "We're going too!" Evie announced, clutching Ayla’s elbow and not bothering to wait for approval.

  “Ugh," Luxor tossed her head back, annoyed by the mess that the sticky blue liquid dripped down her leg.

  "We will get some more," he whispered.

  Luxor curled up in Hunter's arms and invited the tingles to take over, his close proximity mixed with the pain was a peculiar and familiar feeling. She inhaled sharply and was assaulted by an intoxicating smell; fresh and earthy, as if she was submerged within a forest.

  Hunter kicked
the door to the office, his yell reverberating the room. "Principal Wright!"

  Principal Wright eyes widened on the sight in front of him, and ran his hands through his hair. "Is she bleeding?" He asked Hunter directly.

  "No, but she's scraped up pretty bad."

  Principal Wright came around to stand behind Hunter, slid down his glasses to the tip of his nose, and leaned forward to inspect the scratches. "Thank the Heavens, at least there's no blood, that's the main thing."

  Luxor bit her lip, and dug her fingernails into Hunter's bicep. Her knee throbbed as if the baton was continuously hitting her bone.

  "I don't care about scratches. It's my knee, it's popped out, can't you see? Hospital. I want the hospital Call hospital."

  "No," Hunter and Principal Wright said in unison.

  Principal Wright coughed. "It isn't too severe to need a hospital visit. We will fix it up in the infirmary and call you mother to pick you up."

  Luxor wanted to scream at them but the pain had stripped away the ability to talk.

  How can it not be bad enough, my knee popped out of its socket!

  Evie finally stepped forward. She had been in the quiet in background with Ayla. "I'm coming too."

  "Miss Cooper, you are to return the class. This doesn't concern you."

  "Like hell it doesn't!"

  Principal Wright straightened up and plastered on a blank expression. His laid-back demeanour evaporating as he closed the distance with an aura of firm authority.

  Evie became rigid and stepped back. "What I meant was Luxor is my friend."

  "I am well aware, and I am informing you, unless you would like a month's detention and a call to your parents, I'd suggest returning to class. Better still, go home and rest," Principal Wright said. Evie nodded and reached out for Ayla. "Ayla, you are you remain."

  "What?" Evie screeched.

  "Just go," Luxor struggled to say with the pain.

  Principal Wright led them all through frosted glass door at the side of reception and disappeared into his office while Hunter led them down a narrow hallway until they reached a blue door and entered the room.

  The infirmary was small and compact with two beds positioned on opposite sides of the room with a bedside table on each side.

  Hunter laid Luxor down on a bed and propped a pillow under her knee. He ruffled his hair and pulled at it before stepping away to made room for Ayla. He gave her one last lingering glance before leaving the room without a single word.

  Luxor stared longingly at his retreating figure before turning her head. "What the hell is going on? I want to go to the hospital," she wailed as another stroke of pain shot through her.

  Ayla pulled up a chair and kept a considerable distance, her head bowed and masked her features. "Why are you asking me?" Her fingers twitched as she wrung her fingers in her lap.

  Principal Wright entered the infirmary and sat next to Ayla. Luxor bit the skin of her lower lip between her teeth, and closed her eyes but was still aware of the presence of the others in the room. "I called your mother."

  Hunter entered and warmed up his electric charge igniting the room.

  "How long until she's here?" Luxor asked, her voice strained and croaky. All she wanted was her bed, and a bottle of painkillers.

  "She gave me permission to help you until she's finished work," Principal Wright informed her.

  "She's not coming?" A lump formed in her throat, and she fought back tears.

  Luxor shouldn't have been surprised, but to not care, and push the responsibilities onto somebody else, basically strangers, stabbed her heart. She had never felt so alone, or unloved than at this moment. Luxor was a burden, a waste of space, who begged for her to show some signs of love. It was never there, Meredith was merely a presence, and Luxor was a ticket to a better life, until she wasn't needed anymore.

  "Do you want to go home?" Principal Wright asked.

  Home. Luxor realised she didn't have a home. A house with love is a home. She had been homeless all of her life.

  Luxor opened her eyes, to wish this was a dream, but when she realised, she was still in the infirmary, her heart ached that little bit more.

  "Luxor do you want to go home?" Principal Wright repeated. All she could do was nod.

  He left the room and returned with two tablets and a glass of orange juice. "Do you want the pain to go away?" Luxor nodded. "Take this, it'll ease the pain." He placed them into Luxor's hand. She furrowed her brow, and clasped the tablets.

  Is this even allowed? Surely, he can’t just dole out pain killers on a whim.

  But as she stared at his brown pupils, something flashed, a strange sense that she should trust him. The pain continued to throb, her knee still at an angle. She just wanted it to go away.

  Meredith didn't care, so why should I?

  Luxor threw the tablets down her throat, and downed it with the orange juice. Laying her head down against the soft pillow she fixated her attention on the lights. In the background, she heard pieces on conversation.

  "Hunter can you please take her home?" Principal Wright whispered.

  "No," Ayla's usual soft childlike voice was firm, like it wasn't hers.

  Principal Wright sighed, rubbing his forehead furiously. "Ayla, firstly you do not have a car. And how can you get her to her room? I don't think I have to explain why..."

  Luxor gazed at Hunter and laid her head down on the pillow. Black dots circled her vision as the painkillers took effect, the searing ache nothing more than a dull throb.

  Hunter re-entered and moved in forward, slipping into the chair. Bowing his head, his expression contorted in angst. Ebony hair fell in front of his eyes, but he made no attempt to move it. Smoothing his finger over Luxor's forehead, he tucked a stray hair behind her ear.

  Luxor placed her hand over his, and let the tingling absorb within, exhaling a contended sigh. The pain dissipated, and it had nothing to do with the painkillers. Her eyes became heavy and she fought to keep them open. Hunter stared at her with such intensity everything ceased to matter.

  Before she slipped into her peaceful slumber, their eyes locked, toffee with aqua.

  "Your eyes are sweet, just like toffee. I really like toffee," she whispered before the world plunged to black.

  A blinding ray of sunshine shot through the window and an ache pierced through Luxor’s skull the moment she sat up quickly. Too quickly. She placed her hand on her head, disoriented and confused, and fell back flat against her plush pillows. If a bowling ball smashed her in the face it would be a similar feeling. Maybe that was an extreme over exaggeration, but nevertheless she was in agony.

  Luxor fluttered her eyes open and was greeted with double vision. After a few times of squeezing them open and shut, her contacts slid down her cheeks with effort, feeling as if a mound of sand had been through at her eyeballs.

  "Meredith!" Luxor shouted out, but it came out as a whisper. She tried again but her hoarse voice caused discomfort.

  The room was recognisable, everything just as she had left it. So why did it feel foreign? She tried to piece together what was happening, her mind was a haze of fog, unclear, yet clear enough to know the truth. Or most of it. The last memory she had was being in the infirmary at school after Scarlett attacked her again, this time her weapon of choice, a metallic baton.

  Luxor grabbed the edge of her side table, swinging her legs across, and planted her feet on the ground. She wobbled acutely aware of her dull ache in her ankle. She leaned over and did a quick once over; searching for cuts and bruises, but found none. Stroking her knee up and down repeatedly, there was no pain or bandage, only streaks of sticky blue liquid. She smothered some between her fingers tips and inhaled the sweet smell.

  Gatorade?

  A flicker of a distorted image entered. Hunter held her close, but she didn't push him away, instead she snuggled up absorbed in his embrace and his brother spilt drink all over her leg. She was positive it had dislocated, and popped out of the socket, but if she had, sur
ely she would have been in hospital. Right?

  Was it a hallucination? Were they about to happen when I was awake too?

  Although her dreams continued to be disturbing it was a welcomed change for the man to not make an appearance.

  Luxor padded down the steps holding onto the rail and found Meredith in the kitchen monotonously wiping the bench as she fixated through the window at the nothingness of their barren land.

  "Meredith," Luxor's voice was soft, a stark contrast to the harshness she felt.

  Meredith blinked repeatedly and whipped her head around, wiping her hands on a tea towel and dumping it on the counter. She scattered around the island and linked her arms within Luxor's, easing her down gently into the kitchen seat.

  "Luxor, what are you doing down here? I was going to bring you breakfast in bed." Meredith had a glass of orange juice, with a bowl of fruit salad ready.

  Luxor guzzled the orange juice, a welcome relief for her parched throat, but left the fruit untouched. She ignored the protest of her growling stomach. Eating was the last thing she wanted, her appetite had all but eradicated.

  "How are you feeling?" she asked refilling the cup with more juice.

  Luxor sighed. "I’m fine, but I need to know what happened?"

  Meredith joined her at the table and smoothed back her unruly hair. "Don't you remember?" She asked and sat down. Luxor shook her head. "You sprained your ankle after falling at school. After I received the call from Principal Wright, I immediately left work and picked you up." Meredith’s voice was flat. She glanced down at Luxor's bandaged ankle. "Is it still hurting? I can give you some ibuprofen for the pain."

  "Surprisingly no." She wriggled her ankle around in a circle to prove her point.

  Why was my brain putting negative thoughts in it?

  Things didn’t add up, her mind was giving her another story, making Luxor question her own sanity. In her dream, Luxor cried, wanting Meredith to pick her up, to take care of her, but the responsibility was shovelled upon Principal Wright. She remembered him asking Hunter to take her home, despite Ayla's protests.